The Royal Way of Prague is a historic path leading from Republic Square to the St. Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle. It was used for centuries by Bohemian kings to be crowned in the cathedral. Nowadays, the Royal Way is a popular tourist attraction.
To escape the crowds, visitors can enjoy a 360° view over Prague from the top of the town hall tower on Old Town Square. From this vantage point, the city appears much calmer than in the busy streets below. The tower offers a perfect opportunity to capture stunning panoramic shots of the city, including iconic landmarks such as the Charles Bridge and Prague Castle.
The town hall tower was a popular meeting place for astronomers in the 16th century, including the famous astronomer Tycho Brahe. In the tower’s underground chamber, he observed and measured the movements of stars and planets.
In the evening, the city takes on a different appearance with the warm glow of the sunset creating a magical atmosphere. The tower also provides a great view of the moon and the stars at night.
Ascension Day is a popular time to visit Prague, and the streets can be crowded with tourists. However, by taking the time to explore the city from above, visitors can enjoy a unique perspective and escape the hustle and bustle of the crowds.
In conclusion, the Royal Way of Prague is not just a tourist attraction, but a significant part of the city’s history. Walking the same path as Bohemian kings once did is a unique experience that transports you back in time. And even though Prague can get crowded with tourists, there are still hidden gems to discover, like the beautiful view from the town hall tower. It’s always worth taking the time to explore the city and see it from different perspectives. Whether you’re interested in history, or architecture, or just want to take in the beauty of the city, Prague has something for everyone.
Workflow
On the town hall tower, you can indeed use a tripod, but given the narrowness and the number of people up there, I wouldn’t recommend it. I think it would be inevitable that someone touched the tripod and thus blurred the photo. So I was very glad I had my GorillaPod with me. I could easily attach it to the railing and shoot my photos the way I wanted to.
In the post-processing, I wanted to keep the foreground slightly overexposed to pick the viewer up from here. The idea is to recreate the way from the old town to the castle visually, starting at the church on the Old Town Square and ending at the moon over Prague Castle.
